I’ve always loved photographing windows. The structure, the architecture… the promise of what view lies outside it. Something about them always has enticed me to whip out my camera and snap a quick shot. And sometimes, it isn’t even the actual window itself, per se, but the way a reflection bounces off of the glassy surface […]

In college, I studied abroad in the city that started the Renaissance: the magnificent Florence, Italy. I spent my time there living the good life: wandering the cobblestone streets, visiting markets and museums, sampling gelato from every notable place in town and eating enough pizza and pasta to feed a small village… balanced amongst my […]

When I was in college, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy. There I lived with an Italian woman named Carla and her son Massimo. As part of the room and board agreement, Carla would cook amazing Italian fare each night for dinner. Fresh tomato sauce atop perfectly al dente pasta, ultra thin chicken Milanese with a […]

This week, PackedSuitcase.com reached 100 posts. Hurray! It’s a huge milestone and I’ve been planning a celebration of sorts to look back at a few of my favorite posts. Serendipitously, Katie at Tripbase has recently initiated a fun challenge called My 7 Links. The gist is that nominated bloggers pick out worthy posts from our archives […]

Ah, Italia. Firenze is easily my favorite city in all of Italy… and maybe in all of Europe! I love the charming cobblestone streets, the artsy Oltrarno district, the food (oh, the food!), Brunelleschi’s Duomo and the fact that for a city made of stone, it still maintains a warmth and feeling of life. It’s beauiful from dusk […]

January 11, 2001. I coughed in the ancient Italian cathedral. Loudly. It was the kind of cough that goes on and on; the persistent itch you can’t get rid of and if you try you just end up making it worse. Inside San Miniato’s stone walls, my coughs echoed throughout the sacred space until my […]

Somewhere along the winding roads of Tuscany, this photo was taken. I was on the back of a speeding vespa with one hand held firmly around the waist of an Italian boy and the other furiously snapping away, trying to get the perfect shot that represented the countryside in summer. After the day was […]

Every evening, Italians from the largest cities to the smallest villages participate in the social event of the day, the passeggiata, or “Little Walk.” They wear their Sunday best, strolling sloooowly and savoring life; wanting to see and be seen. On a recent trip to Florence, Italy, I had a little adventure that I dubbed […]

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Welcome to Packed Suitcase!

Packed Suitcase is a travel blog featuring quick, satisfying trips that can easily be done in a weekend from a mid-Atlantic home base.

All throughout the site, you'll find inspiration, tips, gorgeous photography and itineraries for the best quick-trip destinations, with special emphasis on showing the awesome side of lesser-known places and experiences.

Have weekend travels worthy of the Monday morning water cooler… without having to take a lot of time off of work.

About Me

My name is Chris and I'm a National Geographic Channel producer by day and a freelance travel blogger and photographer by night.

I’m passionate about empowering and enabling readers to find accessible ways to travel within their time-off constraints to become weekend warriors.